The Monmouth YMCA has donated gymnastics equipment valued at well over $35,000 to the YMCA of McDonough County's gymnastics program.
Donated pieces include a full-size competition regulation vaulting board; bolted solo bar trainer; rod floor components; foam underlayer; bonding rolls; connectors; training belts; tumbling landing zone; skirting, and an assortment of spare parts and 'odds and ends.'
'We cannot thank the Monmouth YMCA enough for this most generous donation,' said YMCA CEO Nick Knowles. 'If this same collection of equipment were purchased new through Ross, including shipping and installation, the total cost could easily reach $50,000 or more.'
According to Knowles, for comparison, when the YMCA purchased the main gymnastics floor system, the original quote from major vendors was approximately $50,000. However, by partnering with a vendor who originally began his career as a YMCA gymnastics director before starting his own gym, and later his own specialized gymnastics training equipment manufacturing, allowed park district programs and YMCAs like Macomb's to access top-tier training materials without the inflated costs of traditional vendors.
'By purchasing directly through him, we received the same high-grade materials and blueprints while managing the assembly ourselves with the help of trained volunteers,' he shared. 'This approach allowed us to reduce the total cost to about $25,000, while maintaining professional level quality and safety standards.'
The YMCA Gymnastics Center is directed by Tanya Schmidt, with Coordinator Assistant Mcknezi Whitford, who is a former nationally ranked tumbling competitor who was coached by Schmidt for several years at the Y. According to Schmidt, she and Whitford are supported by an outstanding team of coaches dedicated to training future generations of YMCA of McDonough County Twisters Gymnastics and Tumbling competitors.
During Summer 2025, the Power Tumbling team sent four competitors, all of whom placed in the top three nationally in Rapid City, SD. The Gymnastics team competed in Green Bay, WI, where all nine qualifying athletes from the gym placed 12th or better nationally, making them all national podium qualifiers. The Xcel Bronze team also earned a third-place national ranking, and a silver gymnast from the Gymnastics team earned second place all-around nationally.
'This year's incoming team has grown, and the addition of new equipment will help maintain the high level of training these exceptional gymnasts require to continue their success. Even more exciting is the new collaborative approach between the Monmouth YMCA and the Macomb YMCA, which will allow staff and resources to be shared,' Schmidt added. 'I will assist in developing and supporting the Monmouth YMCA Progressive Tumbling and Acro Gymnastics programs, and both progressive programs will provide consistent training approaches while seamlessly integrating athletes with the Macomb competitive gymnastics and tumbling teams. With these shared resources and expert staff, this collaboration helps make unique youth programming more accessible to both communities.'
Knowles noted that beyond the impressive dollar value of this most recent donation, the collaborative partnerships forming between organizations such as Western Illinois University's Student Recreation Center and Department of Theatre and Dance, Hy-Vee of Macomb, Carolina Gym Supply and the YMCA CEO Alliance, demonstrates the power of community corporate cooperation.
'These corporate relationships not only enhance program development, and resource sharing, but also stimulate local commerce and strengthen communities,' Knowles concluded. 'The YMCA CEO Alliance sets an inspiring example of how business and community leaders can come together to support one another, ensuring that every stakeholder and community member benefits in the process.'
